Walking Away
by River Run
Summary: It's been six months since she walked away from him, but what happens when she comes crashing back into his life? LL. Ch. 6 added.
1. Luke in Six Months

**A/N: Here is my humble attempt at a Post-_Partings_ fic. It may start off a little angsty, but I doubt it will stay that way.**

**Walking Away**

**Chapter One: Luke in Six Months**

He hadn't see her in six months, three weeks and four days. She walked away on a warm May night and hadn't been back in the diner since. Now, Thanksgiving was fast approaching, and he knew he wouldn't be spending it as he thought.

That night he had stayed at her house until dawn, but she didn't return. He would have stayed longer, but he had the diner to open, then April came by that night. Once he closed the diner, he went back again, but she wasn't there. Furthermore, Paul Anka was also gone, to where he had no idea.

One morning, he found a box of his stuff that had been at Lorelai's in front of the diner's door. Apparently, she was going to avoid him at all costs, he thought as he put the box unopened in his closet. All of Lorelai's things were exactly where she left them in his apartment. He figured if she wanted them, she could damn well come and get them.

**Summer**

The first month after she walked away he made attempts to call her, but he only received her voice mail. Rory had stopped in once to let him know she was all right, but she said nothing else and he had not asked. He went to town meetings hoping to see her, but she didn't appear. Occasionally, he'd hear Lane say her name, but then her voice would lower so he couldn't hear the rest. Sometimes the words 'Christopher' and 'Hartford' also were bandied around, but the look on Luke's face stopped all talk.

Once leaving Doose's, he saw her Jeep, but he couldn't see her. He only left the diner in case of emergencies, when he ran out of food or if he had plans with April. He did his best to hide what was going on form April, but she was perceptive.

"Hey, Luke, what happened to Lorelai? I haven't seen her since my birthday party."

"Well, we're not seeing each other anymore," he said, looking down at the ground to avoid looking her in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, I know you really liked her."

"Yeah, I did. So, uh, are you ready to hit the trash museum?"

"Luke, you don't have to entertain me if you just want to stay home."

"Hey, April, I know this father-daughter thing is still new for both of us, but there is no one else I'd rather be with. I'm not going to waste our time together moping because we already have so little."

"You know, we can have more. Just ask Mom if I can start spending weekends with you."

"Would you like that?"

"Sure. I like your town and the diner. Do you think I could work there?"

"Well, let's wait until you're a little older, but you have a job the minute you're ready. If you want, I'll ask her tonight when she picks you up. So ready to see some trash?"

"Yes, I'm considering doing something with trash and recycling for next year's science fair, and this will be the perfect research spot."

"You're already planning your science fair project? You just got out of school two weeks ago."

"I started working on last year's science fair project in May," she said, shaking her head. "It's a nasty business if you want to win."

"I can't complain too much because if you hadn't chosen that project, we never would have met," he said as the smile grew across his face. She was the only thing that made him smile these days.

"I'm glad, too, Luke. So are you ready to hit the road?"

"Let's see some trash."

July and August moved pretty much the same way. Luke and Anna worked out a custody arrangement, establishing his legal paternity as April's father and weekend visits. If he wasn't working, he was with April. He put up a set of doors in the apartment to separate Jess' bed with the rest of the apartment so April could have her space. Little by little the changes came.

At first it was the bedding, then the objects on the wall. Soon, there were books and clothes in the closet. The last touch was the aquarium and the gecko named Ralph, which Luke learned to feed and care for when April couldn't.

When he couldn't take skulking around his tiny apartment any longer, he offered to take April camping, which she happily accepted.

He didn't know what to expect, but April loved nature and gave Luke a whole new perspective into the outdoors and his daughter. She didn't mind sleeping in a tent or eating fresh caught fish or bathing in a lake. She was also collecting "specimens" for science experiments that she enjoyed telling Luke about even if he didn't always understand what she was talking about.

It took her less than a day to learn how to make a campfire, to find her own worms and to bait her own hook. At night, he would tell her stories about his family while she told him stories about her childhood.

By the end of the trip, she had started to call him Dad. Every time she did it, he fell a little more in love with her.

**Fall**

When April began school, Luke found himself with more time on his hands. She only came to the diner Wednesday afternoons and weekends. Once a month, he April and Anna would have a sit-down dinner together and talk about April's schedule and what she had going on.

Luke found himself enjoying these dinners since it let him know that Anna could see how much he and April had bonded, and their connection was completely different than the one Anna shared with her.

He found himself in a pretty nice groove when something happened he wasn't expecting. He met someone. A woman. A woman named Julie Jones who came into the diner lost on her way back to Hartford. She had lunch at the counter and attempted chitchat with Luke, who made his usual monosyllabic answers. Undeterred, she kept talking, and slowly, he found himself talking back, even giving her a smile or two.

The following weekend, she reappeared at the diner, saying she loved his French toast and coffee and had to come back for a second helping. He learned she was a nurse at Hartford Hospital, had been divorced for five years, enjoyed nature and driving in the country. Before she left, she took the initiative and asked him out to dinner, which he accepted.

He told himself it was just dinner, and he couldn't be rude to her. He didn't, however, expect to have a good time, and it threw him off when he did. She was pretty with dark hair and brown eyes. She worked long hours at her job, and found it funny he was scared of hospitals. Her childhood in a small town in Indiana wasn't much different from his, except she had only lost one parent. He surprised himself when he asked to take her out again. He was even more surprised she accepted.

Soon, Julie was a regular at the diner and at Luke's apartment. She found April to be "utterly charming," and the townies liked her even though she often heard them whisper around her. When she asked Luke, he explained they were most likely talking about his former fiancée, who had walked out on him four months earlier. She was sympathetic, but didn't ask anymore questions, which he appreciated.

Luke wasn't sure where things were going with Julie. She was nice and easy to be around. She liked his kid, baseball and fishing. They also found themselves to be extremely compatible in the bedroom. Lorelai, however, was still in the back of his thoughts. He still didn't understand why she had ran away and why she had walked away from everything they had.

As Thanksgiving approached, he allowed himself to mourn what should have been happening. He should have been preparing a feast for him, Lorelai, Rory and April at their home, with Lorelai requesting two different kinds of stuffing and yams with extra marshmallows. Instead, April and Anna planned to join him and Julie at the diner with the usual suspects. The night before he was up late working on desserts when the phone rang.

"Hello."

"Luke," he heard Lorelai's anguished voice on the line. "I need your help."

**_A/N 2: What did Lorelai do in those six months and why is she calling Luke? Find out in the next chapter._**


	2. Lorelai in Six Months

**A/N: Thanks for all the nice feedback. Keep it coming.**

**

* * *

Walking Away**

**Chapter 2: Lorelai in Six Months**

Looking back, she has no clue how it happened. One minute she had it all: a great kid, a wonderful fiancé, the world's most bizarre dog and a great business. Then, she woke up in a strange bed.

At first, she had no idea where she was, but she knew she was naked. Then she heard familiar and unfamiliar voices behind her, but didn't dare look for fear of giving away the fact that she was now awake. She heard Chris and the high pitch squeal of Gigi, plus another female voice. The Nanny, maybe?

After the voices subsided, she heard some rustling, felt the weight of Chris on the bed, then his arm around her. At first she thought if she kept her eyes closed she could pretend it was Luke, but his arm was too thin and in the wrong place. Luke liked to lay his hand on her hip and gently tap or rub. When he started to move closer to her, her body had a physical reaction and curled into a ball.

Her mind played back the moments of the previous night. The fun she had messing with Chris' date, the talk in the back of Lynnie's car, the messy confession in the street, the escape from Stars Hollow back to Hartford, and the comfort of Christopher.

She didn't go there to sleep with him, she just wanted to be safe. She was tired of the hurt inside her heart from Luke's inattention, then his rejection.

On the ride to Hartford, the only words that floated through her head were, "Why didn't he just say yes?" She thought to call Rory, but it was her last night with Logan, and she didn't want to spoil it with additional heartbreak. She even considered going to her parents, but she never would have withstood the wrath of Emily's glare. Sookie was back in Stars Hollow, and she couldn't be around things that reminded her of Luke. Chris was always "safe." He didn't judge. He understood. He wouldn't pry. She could "be" around him.

Unfortunately, Christopher was anything but safe once she arrived. He kept asking questions about what had happened. He kept rubbing her legs and hands and stroking her hair. He let her cry on his shoulder and rubbed her back. Then she realized it became like that moment in _When Harry Met Sally _and he put his lips to hers to give her an "it's okay" kiss.

"Why are you kissing him back?" her brain was yelling to her body, but it didn't respond, instead following his lead until he was naked on top of her. Her brain, however, retreated to a "happy place" that it sometimes went to when she slept with a guy but wasn't really in the mood. Sometimes she thought about clothes or shoes, but she didn't have to think about it too long because he was finished and trying to spoon her in less than ten minutes.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he rubbed her back and kissed her on the shoulder.

He mistook her shudder for a shiver.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just want to sleep."

"Okay, goodnight, Lor. I love you."

He rolled over, and she laid there for another hour before she was finally overtaken by exhaustion.

The next morning, Lorelai only left Chris' bed if she had to. She continued this behavior the next day, allowing Chris to use her body at night. Although she couldn't help but think of Luke each time he touched her, it gave her a little satisfaction to know that someone wanted her.

On the third day, Christopher forced her to take a shower and dress with the items he had picked up at her house. He also forced her to feed Paul Anka, since the mutt wouldn't eat the food Chris had prepared.

"You have to go on living, Lor," he said. "You can stay here as long as you like, but you are going to work tomorrow."

"I can't go back to Stars Hollow," she said. "I just want to stay here."

"Then don't, but you are going to the inn. It's not like town members just drop in on you there. If you stay out of town, you'll be fine."

So that is what she did. She went to work, telling Sookie it was over and she wouldn't talk of it. She worked the inn, then drove back to Hartford and to Christopher.

After a week, she returned home to pick up some clothes and movies. That was when she found 'Luke' items and broke down crying. She quickly put them in a box and threw it the jeep, but couldn't bring herself to drive it into town. Instead, that night after Christopher had fallen asleep, she left again, driving back to Stars Hollow to leave it in front of the diner, then spent her last night alone in Stars Hollow. The next day, she locked the door and wouldn't step foot in her home for six months.

**Summer**

He had left 17 messages for her that first month, none of which she erased. Sometimes, at night after Christopher had fallen asleep after satisfying himself, but not her, she would play each one and cry.

The one that hurt the most was the one when she could hear in his voice he was giving up. April was in the background calling him away to give her more pie and he hung up without saying goodbye or 'please call me.' She had been replaced so easily by a teenager in his heart and she didn't understand why.

Rory begged her mother to go see Luke and discuss their problems, but she refused, saying she had to make a clean break, even if that meant staying away from Stars Hollow. Rory had gone back and stayed at the house, wanting to escape the loneliness of the New Haven apartment for a few weeks. She told her mother she went to the diner and Luke looked incredibly sad, but didn't ask about her. Lorelai took it as a sign. She had done the right thing in leaving him. Her life with Christopher and Gigi was easy. He was already practically walking on eggshells around her for fear she would leave him.

Although Gigi had been a handful when she first moved in, Lorelai slowly won her over and found the girl to be quite agreeable once she had the proper discipline. She found herself growing attached to the little girl who looked too much like her mother. Being with Gigi made the time pass quicker.

Unfortunately, however, nothing made the nights go by faster as Christopher used their shared bed as an opportunity to try and win her heart by winning over her body. She went through the motions of enjoying what he did to her body, but even he noticed the disinterest in her eyes.

At the Inn, the occasional townsperson would come in for lunch or dinner, but when one broached the subject of Luke, she shut down immediately and made an excuse to leave. At night before she headed to Hartford, she would often drive to the town square to see if his truck was outside. One night, she spied him outside the diner in the town square with April, him holding up a light as she searched the ground for something.

She drove to Hartford with tears in her eyes.

**Fall**

After almost six months of cohabitation with Christopher, Lorelai's depression had not waned. She was sleepwalking through life, through work, and was only offset by Rory's sadness over Logan. Lorelai's depression deepened when Rory told her she intended to use Thanksgiving vacation to visit Logan in London, leaving Lorelai with Christopher, Gigi, and Paul Anka.

"Come on, it will be fine," Christopher said. "We'll go to your parents or we can go to my mom's house or we can go eat Chinese food."

"Yeah, let's go to my parents' house so we can receive the third degree, or your mother's so I can receive the cold shoulder, and Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without turkey."

"Okay, so what do you want to do then?"

"Why don't we cook it ourselves?"

"Lor, are you high? I can't cook and neither can you. I don't want Gigi to suffer from food poisoning just because you want turkey."

"Alright, fine, we'll go see your mom," she said heading to the bedroom. "I'd rather be ignored than harassed, and my mother can't stand small children."

"What is your problem, Lor? You have been in a mood for months, and I thought you would be out of it by now, but it keeps getting worse. It's been six months, it's time to fish or cut bait."

"Excuse me?"

"If you are so damn unhappy here, then leave and go back to him. I'm sure he'll take you back."

"No, he wouldn't."

"Well, then you need to figure out if you want to be in mine and Gigi's life because I am tired of waiting for you to either wake up or leave me. Gigi gets more attached to you every day, and if you aren't in this for the long haul, I think it might be best if we end this charade now."

"Chris, I don't want to end this. I need to be here."

"No, you need someone to look after you so you don't have to. I think it might be best if we take a break from each other for a little while. Why don't you go back to Stars Hollow and decide what you want. I'll see you again at Thanksgiving and you can give me an answer then."

"Chris, no…"

"Lor, I can't live with your ghost anymore. I deserve more."

Lorelai let out a laugh. He wanted more. He had been taking from her since the day they first met, and he wanted more.

"What do you want, Chris? My soul? Well you can't have it. It's gone."

"I know. You left it in Stars Hollow with Luke. Why don't you go get it? I'll see you on Thursday. I'll have your stuff sent back to your house tomorrow."

"You're just kicking me out?"

"Yes. I have to."

"Fine. Whatever. I'll see you Thursday," she said as she left the bedroom, leashed Paul Anka and headed for the door.

She didn't sleep that night, mainly because she couldn't bring herself to sleep in her own bed, the bed she bought with Luke, and opted to sleep in Rory's room with Paul Anka. The bed, however, was too small, and Paul Anka would dream and kick her.

Lorelai left home an hour early to go to the Dragonfly to avoid the questioning of Babette or any other townsperson. Sookie had stopped asking Lorelai any personal questions after the second month, and now only discussed business with her or talked to her about Jackson and the kids. Michel didn't give a damn.

She tried to call Chris, but only received his answering machine. That night, she drove past the diner and saw Luke's truck outside, but didn't have the courage to get out of her jeep and go inside. She made it up to her bed on Tuesday, but still didn't sleep very much.

On Wednesday, Lorelai still didn't know what to do. She needed Rory, but she was in London. She needed Sookie, but she had alienated her. All she had was Paul Anka, who she couldn't find when she came home.

"Paul Anka, where are you?" she called through the house.

When he didn't respond, she figured he was in one of his hiding places and would appear eventually. When he was still a no-show at his dinner time, she was perplexed. When he didn't appear as night fell, she started to worry.

As the clock struck 11, Lorelai started to panic and searched the house from top to bottom, but he wasn't to be found. The only thing she could figure is he had gotten out in the morning and had ran away.

As she started to cry, she realized she had to find Paul Anka before it was too late, and knew of only one person who could help her.

She quickly hit number 7 on her speed dial, and he picked up on the phone on the second ring.

"Hello."

"Luke, I need your help."

She hadn't heard his voice in six months, three weeks and four days.

_**Next time, the search for Paul Anka brings two lost souls back together. But will either have the courage to make a move?**_


	3. The Search

**Walking Away**

**Chapter 3: The Search**

"Lorelai, are you okay? Did something happen to Rory?"

"No, Rory's fine. She's in London. It's Paul Anka. He's gone."

"Oh, I'm sorry. What happened? Did he get hit by a car?"

"What? He's not dead, Luke. He ran away. I need you to help me find him."

"You left me standing in the middle of the street. I haven't spoken to you in six months and you want me to drop everything to look for your dog?"

"Luke, you know how important Paul Anka is to me, and you found him the only other time he ran off. Please, I need your help. I'm sorry to call you like this, especially after the way we left things, but I'm desperate and there is no one else who can help me."

"All right, I'll help. Where are you?"

"I'm at my house."

"I'll be there in a minute," he said, hanging up the phone.

"How do I get myself into these situations," Luke said as he turned off the oven, hoping his pie would be all right while he was gone.

The other time Paul Anka ran away, Luke had found him in the Dragonfly's stables, cuddled up with the horses. He thought about going their first to see if Paul Anka was there, so he could avoid what he knew was going to be a messy encounter.

He was sure two things would happen once he and Lorelai got into a room together. First, he would not be able to stop himself from asking what happened, then they would go after each other like two starving dogs fighting over a bone. He would berate her for running away and she would berate him for shutting her out of his life, but her leaving had been like a wound festering in his psyche. He still didn't understand why she had left. Why couldn't she wait? It only took a few more weeks before he and April were at "that place." What had she been doing since that May night? Come hell or high water, he was going to find out tonight.

* * *

She answered the door on the second knock, and she was almost exactly as he remembered her. Her hair was a little shorter, and she was wearing a green shirt and jacket he had never seen before, but he knew those jeans since he had taken them off her about 50 times.

"Hi, has he come back yet?" he said as he entered her foyer.

"No," she said, trying not to stare at how good he looked.

He was wearing his army jacket and a plaid shirt she didn't recognize. His hat, however, was not his usual blue one. The one she had given him. It was a Red Sox cap. She wanted to make a comment, but she knew if she did, they would never look for Paul Anka because they would start arguing.

"Well, I figured, I'll take the town square while you search around the Dragonfly," he said. "That way, we stand a better chance of finding him quicker."

"No," she said. "We have to search together. I don't have a flashlight and I'll kill myself searching in the dark. We have to stay together."

Luke sighed. He should have seen it coming.

"Then could take all night. All right, let's start at the Dragonfly since that's where he was last time. You want to take the truck?"

"Yeah. I'm too nervous to drive," she said heading out the house to the door.

Luke followed, wishing he had his keys to her house so he could lock the front door. They drove in silence to the Dragonfly, each thinking the exact thing, but afraid to say it. Their search of the Dragonfly's grounds were fruitless, so they headed into town.

After an examination of the main streets, they headed to the town square. Luke immediately headed to the gazebo and sat down. He was ready, and it couldn't wait a minute more.

"Four weeks," he said as he put his head in his hands.

"What do you mean, 'four weeks'?" she said standing at the edge of the gazebo, afraid to go up the stairs.

"It took four weeks for me and April to get there, to be a father and daughter. Four more weeks, Lorelai was all I needed, but you threw everything we had away and I still don't know why. I didn't even know there was a problem"

"How could you not know there was a problem. Couldn't you tell I was unhappy, Luke? Are you that dense?"

"Why would I know something was wrong? I asked you a hundred times if you were all right. I told you everything that was going on with April, and what did you do? You told everybody in town we weren't getting married, but you couldn't tell me?"

"You know about that?"

"Of course, I know about that! How long do you think Kirk would hold out telling me that after you vanished? You hid from me for three days! You ran off after saying 'marry me right now or it's over?' Lorelai, if I had made that crazy ultimatum, you would have said no, too. You weren't in your right mind, and if we had gone off and eloped, you would have regretted it. You know you would have, and so would I."

"You know, Luke, you want to put all this on me, fine, but it wasn't all me. All you had to do was include me in your life. I felt so alone while you struggled with April, and I could have made it so much easier for you."

"I didn't want it to be easy. I had to do it on mine own. She's the only child I have, and I had to do it on my terms. You more than anyone should have realized that. You said I had to figure out how April was going to fit in our lives, not the other way around. What if I had said that to you about Rory?"

"Rory's different."

"No, she's not. She's your daughter, and when you wanted to put off our wedding, I didn't think twice about it. If you didn't want to put off our wedding for my daughter, then you shouldn't have offered."

"Honestly, I didn't think you'd accept. I thought you were so in love with me, that you'd want to get married so we could work on it together."

"You had to figure out your problems with Rory on your own, and I had to do the same thing with April. So what did you do, Lorelai? When you ran out of Stars Hollow? Where did you go?"

"You know where I went."

"No, I don't. I've heard rumors, but I want to hear you say it."

"I went to Christopher's. I've been living in Hartford with Christopher."

"So, are you married?"

"What?"

"Well, you left me because you wanted to get married, I just figured."

"Fuck you, Luke. I don't want to marry Chris. I wanted to marry you."

"Well, I wanted that too," he said almost shouting.

At that, both stopped talking, realizing the stupidity of their actions on both parts. Lorelai finally walked up the stairs to the gazebo and sat down next to Luke. She took his hand in hers.

"It would have been nice, too," she said in almost a whisper. "Chris is leaving me because he knows I don't love him. It's weird that it took me 22 years to realize I was right all along about him and me."

"So, what happens now?" Luke said standing up and walking toward the gazebo's rail, his back to Lorelai. "Are we strangers? Are we friends again?"

"I don't know. Why don't we take it one day at a time? I'm moving back to my house full-time. Will it be all right if I come back to the diner?"

"Yeah, I guess. April's there a lot, though. We've worked out a pretty good routine. Can you handle seeing her?"

"Sure. I know where we stand now, so I don't think it will be a problem."

"Good, then you're welcome anytime."

"What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow's Thanksgiving."

"I know that, Goody Danes, but I don't have anywhere to go since Sookie, Jackson and the kids went to visit his family and I don't really desire tofurkey. I still have to go to my parent's house in the evening, but I don't have a Thanksgiving dinner for lunch."

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Luke said, turning back around. "Listen, Lorelai, there's something you need to know before you…."

"Oh my God, Paul Anka," she said, jumping off the bench and out of the gazebo.

Paul Anka came bouncing out of Miss Patty's studio followed by Miss Patty.

"Hello, Darling," Miss Patty said. "I found your lovely dog becoming quite friendly with one of my bean bag chairs. I was just about to bring him to you."

"Thank you, Miss Patty. I was worried to death about him. Paul Anka, you know better than to run off. Next time, I'm not looking for you."

"Anytime, dear. I'll see you later. I have a hot date, tonight."

"Well, don't devour him whole."

"I make no promises. Good night."

Miss Patty made a special not of Luke's presence in the gazebo and wondered if Babette was still awake. The first meeting of Luke and Lorelai would be known to the town before dawn.

As Lorelai put the leash on Paul Anka, she was scared to go back over to Luke for fear he would rescind the invitation. Instead she yelled across the square.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Luke."

"Wait, there's something you have to…"

It was too late, and Lorelai was already around the corner, walking in almost a sprint. He knew tomorrow would be a very memorable Thanksgiving.


	4. We Gather Together

**Walking Away**

**Chapter 4: We Gather Together**

Lorelai had spent an hour trying to decide what to wear to her two Thanksgiving dinners. Should she wear slacks? A dress? Her mad scientist costume? That would rile up Christopher's mother. Instead, she opted for a blouse and skirt that could be worn to both dinners and wasn't constricting enough to stop her from eating to her heart's content.

As she looked around for her keys, her cell phone rang. It was Rory.

"Happy Thanksgiving, or Happy Thursday, as they are probably saying there," she said.

"Hi. They're not big on the turkey over here, but Logan ordered us a small feast. I swear, I couldn't eat another bite."

"Not even a dinner mint?"

"Ha, ha. So, where are you going today? Are you and Dad doing something special or are you going to Grandma's?"

"Yeah, I'm meeting your dad and Gigi at his Mom's house tonight since I couldn't bear a dinner Emily while there is a child present. She almost had a heart attack the last time Gigi came to eat and dropped her chicken on the dining room chair."

"You're only eating one meal? Are you trying to starve?"

"Actually, I'm having lunch at Luke's. I talked to him last night because Paul Anka ran away and I asked Luke to help find him. We talked about what happened, and I got a lunch invite."

"That's good, Mom. I'm glad you and Luke are talking again, and I know you have missed his cooking and his coffee since the breakup."

"I have. I know we aren't getting back together, but I have also missed his friendship."

"Well, have a good time, and don't forget the flowers."

"I won't. Hey, I miss you, and I love you. Happy Thanksgiving."

"I love you, too, Mom. Don't eat too much."

"Oh, I will. I'll call you tomorrow."

Lorelai hung up the phone, and tried to decide which shoes went best with her outfit. She wanted to make her best impression for Luke.

* * *

It usually took Luke about 20 seconds to dress, but today, he couldn't decide what to wear and it was frustrating him. Sure, he had gotten up extra early to cook, but now that everything was ready, he had returned upstairs to shower and dress.

Most Thanksgivings, Luke wore what he always wore, a plaid shirt, jeans and a baseball cap, but today, it was out of the question. First, it was the first time Julie was coming for a special event, and he wanted to look nice for her.

Then, there was the matter of Lorelai. She was coming and had no idea about Julie, since she ran off before he could tell her. He thought about calling her, but he figured it really shouldn't be that big a deal.

"Lorelai's been living with another man for six months. Should she be surprised I'm seeing someone new?"

No matter how many times he said that to himself, he still felt like he was doing something wrong. He opted for a blue button-down shirt and a pair of black slacks. Luke checked the clock by his bed. It was 11:07. Lunch started in less than an hour. He headed back downstairs to wait for his guests and check on the meal.

* * *

At 11:30, April and Anna arrived at the diner. April wanted to help serve at her first Thanksgiving with her dad, and went into the kitchen to get instructions from Caesar.

Anna and Luke chatted about scheduling for Christmas holidays while a few other invited townspeople started to arrive. When Julie appeared, Luke met her at the door with a kiss and asked her to join him upstairs.

"Oooh, a special rendezvous before dinner, I feel so special," she said putting her arms around his neck and kissing him again. I missed you last night,"

"I missed you, too. Uh, Julie, before lunch starts, there's something important you need to know. Last night, Lorelai called here and asked for my help with her dog. We talked about what happened last May."

"Are you two getting back together?" she said, moving away from him and sitting at his kitchen table.

"What? No, but she asked to come to Thanksgiving today. I said yes."

"Oh. I guess that's okay, if you're okay with it. Luke, I would never presume to tell you that you couldn't have someone at your home or business. If you want her here, then I will be happy to meet her."

"Thank you, Julie. I know this is going to be awkward, I just wanted you to be ready. Are you ready to eat?"

"I am starving and whatever you are making smells heavenly."

Julie took Luke's hand, and headed down the stairs.

* * *

When Lorelai arrived at the diner, flowers in hand, several of the tables were already filled with people who looked very surprised to see her.

"Hi, everyone. Happy Thanksgiving. I guess Luke didn't tell you I was coming."

Several townspeople got up to greet her, but she was taken aback when April came running out of the kitchen.

"Lorelai!" April almost squealed as she ran up and hugged her. "I'm so glad you came today. I have wanted to see you since my birthday. You had such good ideas about hair and makeup, and Mom refuses to see I'm almost 14."

"Hey, anytime you want, feel free to call me at the Dragonfly. Remind me to give you that number and my cell for major emergencies."

"I was sorry about you and my dad. I was hoping I'd get a chance to see you more now that I stay here on the weekends."

"You stay upstairs?"

"Sure. He put up a door for me and let's me keep Ralph up there."

"Ralph?"

"My gecko. He even feeds and takes care of him. I'm here a lot now, and I go out with him and Julie on the weekends."

"Julie?"

"Yeah, his girlfriend. I don't see her as much though since she works pretty long hours, but we usually all go out together on Saturday night."

"Wow, that's great," Lorelai said through a now fake smile. "So how long has your dad and Julie been seeing each other?"

"About two months. She's a lot of fun, but she's pretty serious. I think it's because of her job. She takes care of sick babies."

"She's a doctor?"

"No. She's a nurse. You'll like her a lot."

"Great," Lorelai said, sitting down, trying to catch her breath.

He's seeing someone, she thought. Why didn't he tell me last night? Probably because you ran away the second you found Paul Anka and didn't give him a chance.

She was sitting there for about a minute trying to process it all when Luke came down the stairs holding the hand of a woman she'd never seen before, and assumed to be Julie.

When his eyes met Lorelai's, he let go of Julie's hand and walked over to her.

"Uh, Lorelai, hi. I'd like you to meet Julie Jones. Julie, this is Lorelai Gilmore."

"It's nice to meet you, Lorelai," Julie said, shaking her hand. "Your inn is very beautiful."

"Oh, thank you. It's nice to meet you, too. April tells me you're a nurse."

"Yeah, for about ten years. I love it. It's wonderful to help people, especially preemies, who need so much."

"That's really great. Hey Luke, Rory wanted to make sure you got these."

"I don't have a vase."

"You do, too. I bought you one. It's upstairs on the top shelf with the glasses."

"Oh, yeah. I'll just run up and get it."

"No, Luke, I'll get it," Julie said. "You get dinner going for everyone."

"Okay," he said as he went into the kitchen.

* * *

After the initial awkwardness, the dinner went well. Lorelai mostly stayed quiet, observing Luke and his new girlfriend. She was pretty, and could see Luke with her more than she could with Nicole. She seemed to be down-to-earth and funny, but she could also fell the twinge of jealousy. She didn't want to see Luke happy with anyone else but her.

As she sat there eating turkey and cranberry sauce, she realized that all this time apart had not cured her of the one thing she hoped it would. She was still crazy in love with Luke. She still wanted her middle, but the question now was, would she be brave enough to put herself out there to get it?

She decided that before she could dream about any future with Luke, she'd have to put her past with Christopher behind her for good. She smiled as she took a bite of turkey and cranberry sauce.

For the first time, she was hopeful again about her future. She only hoped Luke felt the same way.


	5. Just Came To Say

**A/N: Sorry for the shortness, but it's kind of a transition chapter. **

**

* * *

Walking Away**

**Chapter 5: Just Came to Say…**

The at events that took place at her Thanksgiving dinner were not what Francine Hayden was prepared for. Usually when Lorelai Gilmore was invited over, she went out of her way to be a complete nuisance to Francine and the other guests. She would say inappropriate things, take every opportunity to mention "the girl" and her many accomplishments and would usually insult everything that Francine held dear. This dinner, however, was different. In fact, Lorelai barely spoke, except to ask for more food.

After dessert, Lorelai asked to speak to Chris in the library while Francine and Gigi spent time together watching some special on the television.

"So, Lorelai, do you know what you want?"

"Yes, I do, but first, Chris, I want to thank you for taking such good care of me the last six months. I know I couldn't have been that much fun to deal with, but you did."

"Lor," he said, taking her hand. "I love you. I always have, and I always will."

"I know, Chris, but I don't love you. I'm still in love with Luke. I saw him today, and I realized he is the one I'm supposed to be with."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I am. I went to the diner today for Thanksgiving, and I knew what I wanted. I just have to let go of the past and try to get the future I want and deserve because I deserve to be happy for once."

"It didn't work out before, Lor. What makes you think it will work out this time? He abandoned you before."

"No, he didn't. I ran away from him because I couldn't tell him how I really felt. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. He is seeing someone else now, but I know he still loves me, too. If I don't try one last time, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

"Lor, I can't guarantee I'll be here if you change your mind. Gigi needs a mother, and I wanted that to be you. She really loves you, but if you come back in six months, I may not be waiting for you."

"Don't wait for me, Chris. There is someone out there for you. Go and find her."

Lorelai gave him a kiss on the cheek before walking out of the library, then the house. She got in her car and drove back to Stars Hollow, where she found Paul Anka waiting at the door to go outside. Seeing the anguished look on his face gave her an idea.

* * *

"Are you sure you can't stay?" Luke asked Julie as they sat at a table in the diner. "It's less than 30 minutes to Hartford."

"I'm sorry, Luke, but I have to be in at 6 a.m., and I didn't bring any of my stuff, so I'd have to leave here at 4:30 if I wanted to be on time."

"Maybe you could start leaving a few things here."

"Really? Are you ready to start seeing my stuff around your apartment?"

"Sure. It wouldn't bother me."

"Well, you do have that shelf in the bathroom you don't use. I could keep a few things on it."

Julie noticed Luke's face register a reaction to this suggestion, but he didn't say anything.

"You know, you are always welcome to come and spend the night at my place. I know you're not found of the big, bad city, but I have a big bed and it's not that far back here."

"I can't tonight because my Thursday deliveries are coming tomorrow. Then, April will be here over the weekend."

"Well, then I'll bring some things over Monday. Good night," she said, kissing him across the table before leaving the diner.

"Good night," he said, locking the diner's door behind her.

The diner was already cleaned, so he headed up to his apartment, fed Ralph, then washed his hands. As he was drying them, the phone rang. He figured Julie had forgotten something there and wanted him to bring it out.

"What did you forget?" he said as he answered the phone.

"Oh, there are so many answers to that question," Lorelai said with a laugh.

"Lorelai?"

"Hi, Luke. I need your help again."

"Paul Anka missing again?"

"Oh, no, this is a different kind of favor. When I got home, I realized that Paul Anka can'tget out ofthe house if I'm gone too long, and he needs a doggie door, and I was hoping you could help me install it?"

"Sure, I guess. Have you bought the door yet?"

"Well, no. I need help with that, too."

"Okay. I have some time tomorrow. I can help then."

"Can you drive me and Paul Anka to the pet store to let him pick out his door?"

"How about I meet you there? I have to open the diner, but I'll have some free time after the breakfast rush."

"Great. I'll meet you at Stars Hollow Pets and More at 10?"

"I'll see you then."

Luke hung up the phone and let his mind wander. Would he be able to go back to a friendship with Lorelai now that they were no longer lovers? Would their friendship affect his relationship with Julie like it had with Rachel and Nicole?

"I guess I'll find out tomorrow," he said as he changed into his sweats for bed.

* * *

Lorelai had a smile on her face as she hung up the phone. She didn't know much, but she knew one thing. If she and Luke were alone together long enough, it would only be a matter of time before she could wear down his resistance.

She knew he still loved her, she only had to remind him why they had been ready to get married before they both imploded on their relationship.

"So Paul Anka," she said to her mutt who was already pretending to sleep on his doggy bed. "What type of door do you want?"


	6. Dog Eat Dog Shop

**Walking Away **

**Chapter Six: Dog Eat Dog Shop**

After a particularly difficult morning at the diner, Luke was grateful to get into the crisp, Stars Hollow morning, even if he was going to a pet shop of all places. Luke had never cared for pets. He had never owned a dog and had hated Liz's cat growing up. Fish were utterly pointless, and he didn't even want to think about rodents, such as gerbils or hamsters. He had, however, found Ralph an okay pet since April insisted he was mostly for scientific purposes.

After double-checking that Caesar and Lane were going to be okay, Luke walked the three blocks to Stars Hollow Pets and More, noticing the usual craziness as Patty and Taylor were arguing about when to take down the Thanksgiving decorations and how soon to put up the ones for Christmas.

"Lights do not go up the day after Thanksgiving, Taylor, that is just crazy," Miss Patty. "The town charter specifically states we have to wait until December 1 to begin decorating for Christmas and Hanukkah."

"Not anymore, Patty. I had that changed at the last town meeting, so decorations can now be put up the day after Thanksgiving."

"I was at that meeting. When did we agree to that?"

"Oh, well, it was a rider on the measure to raise the speed limit in the square to 20 miles an hour."

"Well, I'm not decorating until I'm good and ready, Taylor, and if you try to fine me, you don't want to know what I'll do to you."

As Luke passed him, he smiled and remembered that was a damn good reason he didn't decorate the diner. His diner was perfect the way it was, and didn't need tinsel that could fall into food or catch fire, or a giant turkey in the window to block his view of the square.

When he arrived at the pet store, he was greeted with a sight he rarely saw. Lorelai and Paul Anka were not only on time, but they were early.

"Hey, you're here," Luke said.

"Surprise, surprise," Lorelai said with a smile. "It seems that Paul Anka likes to wake up early, and since he doesn't have a doggy door, I have to get up to let him out. He likes a 5:30 morning walk."

"Yeah, that's my fault since I used to walk him when I woke up. I figured he would change his schedule if you didn't wake up that early."

"Oh, no, he expected me to change. That's why I'm getting a doggy door. "

"So, do you know what kind of door you want?"

"Um, one that matches the back door and Paul Anka can fit through it?"

"It's good to see you've given it a lot of thought."

"Was I supposed to research doors on the Internet? How many choices can there be?"

"All right, fine."

As they walked into the store, they were greeted with the familiar sight of Kirk behind the counter.

"Good morning, and welcome to Stars Hollow Pets and More. My name is Kirk. How can I help you?"

"We know who you are, Kirk," Luke said in his usual gruff manner.

"Hey, Kirk, I need a doggie door for Paul Anka here," Lorelai said. "What have you got?"

"We have several models to choose from, but I would suggest the Pet Safe Dog Door in Satin for a medium dog. Today, it is on sale for only $60."

"Can I see it?"

"Sure, there is one right in back. I'll bring it right out. While you wait, might I suggest you check out our latest line of toys for canines."

"We'll be fine, Kirk," Luke said, already exasperated.

Lorelai walked over to the dog toys and skimmed while Luke just watched her. She seemed a little more animated today as she viewed chew toys shaped like fire hydrants and bones.

"Why are you looking at those things?" he said as she turned around. "Paul Anka doesn't even like toys."

"I know, but it would have been rude not to. Kirk made such a nice display."

Luke's response to this was cut short as a loud crashing noise came from the back of the store followed by a scream, and Paul Anka running toward the front door.

"Kirk, are you okay, buddy?" Luke yelled.

"Help me!"

Luke and Lorelai ran to the back of the store, behind the counter to find Kirk trapped under about 10 doggie doors of various sizes and colors.

"What happened?" Lorelai said as she picked the first door off of Kirk.

"I tried to reach the door, but it was under the other doors, so I thought I could pull it out without moving the others. I guess I was wrong. Can you please get these doors off me?"

Luke and Lorelai quickly removed the doors from Kirk, who moaned dramatically.

"Will you stop that?" Luke said as he pulled the last door off him, then offered his hand to Kirk.

"Ah, thank you, Luke. If you hadn't been here, I might have been trapped for days."

"I doubt that, Kirk. Which one is the door?"

"This one," he said, picking up a door at Luke's feet. "Does it meet your satisfaction?"

After attempting to see if Paul Anka could fit through the door for five minutes, Lorelai gave up and had Luke hold him as she pulled him through it.

"It looks fine to me," Lorelai said. "Can you install it?"

"It seems pretty straight forward. I think I can do it in about an hour. Do you have time now?"

"Yeah, the Dragonfly is covered, so we can do it right now."

Lorelai paid for the door and for a cat toy that Paul Anka fancied while Luke bought vitamin supplements for Ralph, The trio then walked back to Lorelai's house, and she could feel the eyes of the town upon them. As they walked, Lorelai tried to think of conversation topics, but everything seemed so silly. She was actually enjoying the quiet of just being with Luke again, even if she knew it wasn't real. After he fixed the door, he would go back to his diner and to his new lady friend.

"So, how's it feel to be a pet owner?"

"I'm not a pet owner," Luke replied to the strange question.

"Uh, yes, you are. What is that you're holding in your hand?"

"Vitamin supplements for Ralph? Oh, no. Ralph's not my pet, he's April's science experiment. I just kept him because he freaked Anna out. I don't do take care of him or anything, I just feed him when April's not here."

"And the vitamins?"

"Well, April said he needed some, and I was at the pet store, so I got it. I am not a pet guy."

"Yeah, I remember. But you did take good care of Paul Anka."

"Well, someone had to feed and walk him when you weren't home."

"And you didn't like him just a little bit?"

"Nah, he's a stinking dog whose smell is still in my apartment."

Lorelai looked into Luke's eyes and she could tell he was full of it, but it was nice to hear a mini-rant that wasn't directed at her.

"I have to go back to the diner," Luke suddenly blurted out. "I don't have any tools."

"No, you don't have to go back. Your tools are here in your boat. Hadn't you noticed you didn't have your tool box?"

"I guess not. I hadn't felt like fixing anything lately. I'm sorry, I hadn't got the boat yet. I keep meaning to, but I hadn't found a storage space for it yet."

"Luke, it's fine right where it is, and if you want to come work on it, you can at anytime. You know, I'm not using the garage for anything, so it may as well hold the boat. You can pay me rent if it would make you feel better. A dollar a month."

"That sounds good. I'll go get the tools and meet you at the back door."

Luke watched as Lorelai entered the house and then made his way to the garage. He hadn't been in there in months, but the boat hadn't changed. It was still dusty and half finished and held years of memories for him. Inside, his toolbox was waiting for him. He pulled it out, and headed inside the house.

It took Luke less than an hour to install Paul Anka's door. Lorelai sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed the view as Luke worked to put a hole in her door with Babette's borrowed saw. She always loved watching him work. Once he finished the door, she offered to clean up the mess, but he laughed and said he'd take care of it. While he was outside, throwing away the garbage, she decided she needed to make another move, even the smallest of ones.

"Well, it's all done. Is it okay if I put the tools back in the boat?"

"Sure, uh, Luke, thank you so much for all your hard work. I can't let it go without repaying you. Can I please take you out to dinner?"


End file.
